Residents ponder future after exploration licence approved

The recent granting of a coal exploration licence has an Upper Hunter community questioning whether it is time to pack up and move.

Residents of Wybong near Denman are wondering how long it will be before life on the land becomes unbearable.

The Ridgelands Exploration Licence has been at least four years in the making, with the consortium spending $100 million on the application process.

Len Hamsin's farm is within the exploration licence and wonders where his future lies.

"How longs it going to be before they start doing further testing for the mine site," he said.

"We'd like that information to be put on the table as soon as possible so that we can make our own decisions whether the people want to stay here and live in this environment or move on to somewhere else.

"There's not much choice you won't find much other land around here at this stage, because of the mines where are you going to go."

Mr Hamsin says he wants the State Government to consider the cumulative impact of the mines already operating in the Valley.

"The number of mines in the area its having a detrimental effect on everyone," he said.

"You've got Mt Pleasant, you've got Dartbrook, if this one goes ahead how much more can the environment sustain out here, and the people.

"You've got to start looking in the long term, the mineral resources brings wealth to the country and there's a lot of spin offs for the other workers but for the people out here on the land making a living I think they deserve a right to know what's going on."

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